North Cotabato drug raid: 8 people killed, 1 arrested

The drug raid in North Cotabato early Saturday morning, July 9, had a deadly outcome: eight people were killed and one got arrested.
A brief firefight occured after police authorities put the search warrants against suspected big-time drug pushers, robbers and carnappers in Sitio Quiapo, Barangay Poblacion in Matalam, into effect, ABS-CBN News reported.

Cops recovered three guns of different calibers, a hand grenade, five sachets of suspected shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia, the report said.

The North Cotabato drug raid conducted by operatives of the Police Regional Office 12 resulted in the death of eight suspects and apprehension of one.

Jobaina Lumantag, the injured woman who was brought to the Cotabato Provincial Hospital, also died while another suspect, Aratok Iba Balabagan, 40, married and a resident of Purok Islam, Poblacion, was arrested.

The suspects allegedly tried to resist arrest and engaged in a firefight with the raiding team led by P/Supt. Maximo Sebastian of PRO 12's anti-illegal drug Regional Task Group, local radio station DXVL Radyo ng Bayan KOOL 94.9 FM reported in a post on its Facebook page.